Hello, please Uncle Ben, could you be a little more specific about this "ALL"? I've learned since childhood (which wasn't just yesterday either) that "the lion's share" meant the largest part.I still hear my mother say to my eldest brother: " No, not you the lion's share again!"

Ęsop's fable does seem to be the origin of the phrase. Whether it is ignorance, misunderstanding or language shift that has effected the change in meaning is up for debate. Perhaps part of the lion's share has drifted over to decimation, explaining why decimation has increased in value at the expense of the lion's share. If one were to use the phrase "lion's share" in the original meaning one would risk being misunerstood. Whether this is worse than being excoriated by the Etymological Fallacists is also up for debate.

So, tel me, Uncle Ben, outside of the fable itself have you ever heard the phrase used to mean "all" by anyone other than yourself?

It makes sense, though: lions don't share. The most powerful one eats what he wants, then leaves. If there's nothing left, that's too bad for the others; if there is, they have to try and sneak a share while he's there, or wait until he leaves.

... lions don't share. The most powerful one eats what he wants, then leaves. If there's nothing left, that's too bad for the others; if there is, they have to try and sneak a share while he's there, or wait until he leaves.

Ah but Myridon, if you read further in the anybody-can-edit-whether-true-or-not site, you'll find "Male lions will never share food they have killed by themselves." ; which is also what I learned by watching documentaries done by National Geographic and Animal Planet.

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